Summary The passenger jet boat SauteMoutons6 left the port of Niagara-on-the-Lake for a routine whitewater excursion on the Niagara River. The excursion was without incident until the final run from the Niagara Gorge whirlpool at Devil's Hole. While negotiating the series of rapids, three passengers were injured. The SauteMoutons6 then diverted to Queenston wharf and two of the injured passengers were evacuated on stretchers and transported to the local hospital by ambulance. It was later determined that the injuries sustained by the three passengers were similar in nature, each being associated with the vertebrae and back of the victims. Ce rapport est galement disponible en franais. Other Factual Information Description of the Vessel and its Operation The SauteMoutons6 is purpose-built for navigation through rapids and similar whitewater. It is of robust construction, with high strength aluminum sections serving to withstand the severe accelerations and stresses to which the vessel is exposed. It is essentially box shaped, with a flat bottom, and has a shallow rise forward. The vessel's high power, combined with the water jet configuration permits speeds of 50 knots in calm conditions. The SauteMoutons6 is highly manoeuvrable and can perform a unique spin around manoeuvre on its own axis, at high speed. Seven rows of foam-cushioned benches make up the passenger seating area. This area is sheltered between moulded, compartmentalized buoyancy tanks, which also form part of the outer hull, sides and bottom. Immediately in front of each row of seating is a horizontal support bar at arm's reach, grasped by the passengers to help them stay seated during the whitewater ride. There is a windshield forward, which rises approximately 0.7 m above the foredeck. Its primary purpose is to shield passengers from large volumes of water coming over the bow section of the vessel. The passengers are nonetheless exposed to water coming over the top and around the sides of the windshield. However, the passengers expect the wet ride, as promotional brochures and a video viewed before the excursion illustrate this effect. The water accumulating in the passenger area can rise briefly to waist level before exiting through one-way water evacuation ports located aft, on the port and starboard sides. There are no other freeing ports. The steering and engine control station is located aft and is protected from spray by a partial enclosure with a windshield that allows the operator clear visibility in all directions. There is no central aisle. Crew members at the steering station are able to walk forward on top of the 0.8 m wide, side buoyancy tanks. Safety Precautions A mandatory pre-departure safety briefing (of approximately 10to 15minutes), includes a safety lecture and makes reference to posted signs highlighting the inherent risk of the activity (seephotos). Although informational brochures about the trip were available, there is conflicting information as to whether these were distributed, prior to the occurrence. While it is not mandatory, prior to departure passengers can view a video outlining the trip upon which they are about to embark. Every passenger must wear the approved small vessel life-jacket provided, and optional rain gear is available. The pre-boarding briefing also includes instruction and a demonstration of the importance of using the support bar. The operator repeats this instruction to the passengers immediately before traversing the rapids. Before boarding the SauteMoutons6, each passenger must fill out and sign a waiver, called a participation agreement. The company attaches a greater risk to individuals who may be suffering from back, neck, or other ailments, and the operator encourages such people to inform the staff of their medical situation. The final decision to allow or disallow a passenger's participation in the excursion is taken by the vessel's operator. Children under the age of six are not allowed to take the trip. When seniors, and persons who identify themselves as having medical problems are allowed to board, they are usually directed to sit in the after two rows of seats. This is very close to the pivot point of the vessel and there is less movement at this position than elsewhere on the vessel. The passengers do not have restraining seat belts, as quick evacuation would be of prime importance if the vessel were to capsize. Once seated, the passengers are instructed to keep their backs straight and bodies immobile by pushing with their arms and hands against the support bar immediately in front of them with their elbows locked. In the event that a large wave breaks over the bow, the passengers are instructed not to lower their heads towards the support bar but to tuck their chins in against their chests. Other instructions include the request that passengers raise their arms when prompted by the operator. A no show is taken to mean that all is not well with the passenger. A Typical Excursion A typical excursion departs Niagara-on-the-Lake at slow speed and, once clear of nearby marinas, gradually builds up to maximum speed. Upstream from Queenston, the vessel begins to ascend mild rapids, the waves of which become significantly larger near the American Power Dam Generating Station. A short distance further, the rapids again increase in size, primarily due to the extreme current of more than 20 knots and the presence of underwater rocks. The height of the waves from trough to crest is approximately 3 to 4 m under normal conditions, and the distance between the crests can sometimes be less than the length of the SauteMoutons6. Near an area of high turbulence called Devil's Hole, the operator indicates to the passengers that they will be making a practice run with the current, starting at the whirlpool and passing into Devil's Hole. This practice run is meant to familiarize the passengers with the vessel's movement and minimize any anxiety. The passengers are asked to raise their arms as described above. The final run proceeds from the whirlpool, over the rapids, into Devil's Hole and then over the remaining rapids before returning to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Each trip is videotaped so that passengers can purchase a copy as a memento of their tour. The round trip from Niagara-on-the-Lake normally takes about 60minutes. The Occurrence For the excursion on the morning of June10, the majority of the passengers were fellow workers from a local hotel in Niagara Falls. They had taken a similar trip the previous year and were enthusiastic about taking it again. They proceeded to do a practice run. Reportedly, in comparison to the trip they had taken a year before, the vessel was now manoeuvred in such a manner that caused it to zig zag. Immediately after this run, a tall passenger forward found that she could not keep herself properly seated, with elbows locked while pressing/holding the bar with her hands. She reported this to a crew member. The trip was uneventful until the final run from the Niagara Gorge whirlpool near Devils' Hole. At this point the vessel's bow dipped down and rapidly climbed over the crest of a large wave, the third of a series, and dropped into a deep trough. While proceeding over this wave, three passengers sitting in the forward section on the starboard side were subjected to severe accelerations. The video tape shows all the passengers in a cowering posture just prior to the occurrence and simultaneously coming down hard on their seats. When the bow became immersed in the next wave, the fourth in a series, two of these passengers were in the first row and one in the second row. The vessel rapidly accelerated upward and the foam-cushioned seating collided with the downward-moving pelvic regions of these passengers. The three passengers indicated that they were pushing against the support bar at this time. All three passengers experienced great pain in the lower back area, upon impact with the seat. This happened in an instant and in the next fraction of a second the passengers seated in the first row were struck on the chest by a large volume of water that rendered them breathless. Because of their pain, none of the injured passengers was able to signal their plight to staff members. Their extreme discomfort was only recognized after the vessel traversed the remaining set of rapids, at which point the operator asked all the passengers to raise their arms. All but the three injured passengers did so. At this time, the operator declared a medical emergency and immediately notified home base by very high frequency (VHF) radio. The SauteMoutons6 was then diverted to Queenston. One injured passenger, assisted by others, walked to the ambulance. The two other injured passengers were immobilized in the upright position and carried off in stretchers and taken by ambulance to Greater Niagara Regional Hospital where it was determined that two had suffered compression fractures of their vertebrae. As of November1999, two of the injured passengers remained under the care of a medical specialist. Company staff aboard the SauteMoutons6 reported that, at the time of the occurrence, the vessel was being operated at the normal speed, in relation to the round trip completion time. One of the injured indicated that the speed of the vessel in the rapids appeared to be faster than on a trip taken previously. Water flow, currents and wave heights were not unusual. The vessel was not ahead of schedule. The operator, however, adjusts engine revolutions per minute (rpm) almost continuously, to deal with the conditions encountered, and engine response is instantaneous. The speed of the vessel at the instant of the occurrence could not be determined. There is an apprenticeship training program that allows a certificated trainee to become proficient in handling a jet boat, and the trainee's progress is monitored by the master of the vessel and company staff. A trained operator must, by the use of power and steering, quickly adjust the speed and the vessel's heading according to the variations in the form of the waves on the water's surface. The operator must also be vigilant of passenger and deck crew movements and take appropriate action in an emergency. The master of the SauteMoutons6 was properly certificated and had been operating this vessel for the last year and a half. Paying customers expect thrills associated with whitewater rides of this nature. The majority of the passengers knew each other, had taken the trip on a previous occasion, and were enthusiastic about this one. This was the first time that an occurrence of this nature involving a jet boat whitewater excursion had been reported since the carrier began operations seven years before the occurrence.